First vivarium

[1beataway]

Today I'm building my first vivarium, using the medium size Exo-Terra habitat (18x18x24), for my dumpies. I bought a submersible pump and hose so I can have a water area. I'm using hydroballs at the bottom.

Tips for keeping the water clean? My dumpies like making a mess.

[John]

You could set up a proper substrate on top of mesh which in turn is on top of your hydroballs, and then colonise it with tropical woodlice and springtails, and then plant it. That would certainly keep your maintenance to a minimum. And where are the photos?

[1beataway]

Putting it together

[1beataway]

The final product.

[1beataway]

My dumpies.

[Tom Highum]

Where did you get the pillow moss and the plants also could the small rocks you have possibly be swallowed?

[Tom Highum]

1beataway: is it a filter or a pump?

John: Do they need any feeding? Will frogs like dart frogs eat them (will they destroy the population)?

[1beataway]

Submersible pump/powerhead.

[1beataway]

I need more hiding areas. One of my frogs has picked a place behind a plant as his favorite spot, and it works, but the other has decided on a spot to burrow in, right next to a plant that does not have much of a root system yet.

I was worried because in the middle of the night, I could hear rocks moving. But everything seems great. Just one leaf in the water. And the water level is quite a big less than what it was.

[John]

John: Do they need any feeding? Will frogs like dart frogs eat them (will they destroy the population)?

Frog waste will sustain them. Dartfrogs will definitely eat them, though they have a harder time eating the woodlice due to size issues.

[Tom Highum]

Ok john would it work to have a 5.5g tank with soil and extra plants and put the woodlice and springtails in there? Would they live with me dumping in some of the feces from spot cleaning my extra tanks?

[1beataway]

I'm excited. My dumpies move around so much more in their new bigger tank. Especially Luigi. He's become a lot more acrobatic. He likes to jump onto the vine in the middle, and kind of swing on it with his back legs hanging down. But he also keeps falling down from the top of the tank. No wonder he has a damaged bone. He's going to end up killing himself from being silly.

[John]

Ok john would it work to have a 5.5g tank with soil and extra plants and put the woodlice and springtails in there? Would they live with me dumping in some of the feces from spot cleaning my extra tanks?

I wouldn't feed them frog waste on purpose. The Woodlice will eat fish flakes and the springtails will eat baking yeast. The woodlice will value something to hide under.

[bobgildolf]

Hi, sorry if this seems silly but John could you please explain to me how springtails and woodlice would be beneficial. Would the WTFs not just eat them? Could they breed to the extent of infestation? Also the exo-terra tank in question has low vents, could they escape?